2nd week post op (days 8 to 13)

 

Will probably now keep one post for each week but will update it daily. Nick has settled into a routine and I suspect that not a huge amount will change over the next seven days. I'll put the latest day's comments at the top.

13 days post op

Made the mistake of doing too much today, not intentionally but simply because of what was happening. Firstly we had to get Nick up to my parents house - normally a 2 hour drive - which required him to sit for too long. We did stop twice but it was still a bit too much for him. Secondly we had a round of Christmas presents with my sisters and their kids. Nick 'reclined' on a sofa, but again it was too much. So he skipped joining in for supper, took a couple of paracetamol and had a rest on the floor. Felt better after about half an hour and managed to sit up to eat quickly but then went back to lying down.

Tomorrow, Christmas Day, is going to be quite a challenge for him!

12 days post op

Forgot to complete this! Nothing particularly exciting to report - three walks of 1.3 km, 1.1 km and 1 km, and three sets of physio stretches. Managed 10 minutes in the car too. Didn't use any ice. Feeling fine although still slightly concerned about the sensation in his leg.

11 days post op.

Slept well, waking up pretty late. Usual routine, 3 walks (1 km, 1.1 km and 0.7 km), 3 sets of stretches and ice after each. Slight pain in his leg, but generally looking mobile and flexible. Friend came over for a few hours and Nick coped fine this time.

 

10 days post op.

Managed to sleep fine last night, perhaps the extra evening walk helped. He tried sitting at a desk this afternoon for schoolwork, but only managed 20 minutes before he started to feel a little pain so he stopped for a rest before continuing. Managed a total of about 30 minutes. He's getting a little frustrated by this sensation in his leg - not pain, not sciatica just a sort of feeling. It's not getting worse, and might be dissapating a little so I'm not concerned about it yet.

Today's walks - 2 x 1 km and 1 x 0.5 km. Physio x 3. Ice after walks and stretches. Generally no pain and in good spirits.

 

9 days post op.


6 am. Nick woke up at 4 am and hasn't been able to sleep. Not pain, just being alert and not tired. He was so active before - even in the week pre op he was cycling 10 miles to/from school - and now he's doing nothing. Am going to have to find some way of tiring him that doesn't risk his recovery. In the meantime he has a book and a mug of hot chocolate.

9 pm. The usual routine today, except that he went for an extra walk this evening so total walks today have been 1 km, 1 km and 0.7 km. Reporting no pain but hamstrings and glutes still feel very tight. He's been trying out various ways of stretching his hamstrings but it hasn't been particularly effective. Has been doing quite a bit of schoolwork and says that he wants to try sitting up at a table tomorrow for his school work.

Although Christmas Day is only 5 days away he says that it doesn't feel like Christmas because he hasn't been at school with his friends for the pre-Christmas build up. So I got him to help me wrap up the presents this evening and tomorrow he's going to help me make the mince pies and chocolate logs.

 

8 days post op.

Looking good and in reasonable spirits. Managed two walks of 0.9 km and 0.5 km. Reporting very low to low levels of pain, pain being tight sensation in his hamstrings. Done three sets of physio exercises with ice afterwards and sat up for abut half an hour at supper (as well as for breakfast and lunch for about 15 minutes each). He was on his own for about 4 hours this afternoon but coped fine. Able to shower now without any problems.

 

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6 days post-op

Not much to report from the morning. Nick woke up late ish after a good nights sleep. Showered, breakfast, stretches and ice. Took top dressing off, leaving steri-strips in place. Nick settled down to do some school work (lying on his back) while I went off to the shops. He found he was a bit unproductive doing the school work but feels better for having started it.

1 pm. Managed a good walk, 1 km in total, to our local bakery for lunch. Ice afterwards and now settled down to watch a film as we are both feeling tired. Reporting no pain at the moment.

7 pm. Just back from seeing the physio. Physio is happy with progress and result of the operation. Straight leg raise is about 40 deg but can't reach his knees yet. One of the physios was disappointed that he couldn't reach his knees yet, but the other was fine about it. Hamstrings and glutes very tight but back muscles fine. Worked on releasing the hamstrings and starting to mobilise his hips and pelvis. Removed the first two exercises from the basic stretches and added three - pelvic tilts, the clam and sit to stand. Also advised to start increasing sitting time.

 

 

Sitting for the journey there (about 20 mins in a car) did cause Nick to stiffen up noticeably but the journey back didn't have the same effect. Ice pack on return. Reporting no pain.

10 pm. Nothing inparticular to report since seeing the physio. Nick has continued to rest on the futon, sat up for supper and did a few stretches. Not reporting any pain so it looks like another day with no painkillers!

 

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4 days post-op

Shower day!

After a bit of an unsettled night (couldn't sleep, not due to pain but just feeling alert) Nick was up at 9.30 am. Feeling 'not bad' and no pain. Breakfast and a set of physio stretches.

10.30 am. Enjoyed a shower. Dressing half came off, so I re-dressed it. Scar looks worse in the photo than in reality. A little light bleeding but generally healing well and clean, with no bruising...

 

11.15 am. Out for a walk which seemed fine. Walked about 0.8 km with no pain afterwards. Ice spray and lying on his back. Waiting for his friends to arrive and pretty cheerful. He's starting to wonder when he'll be able to play tennis again.

6 pm. Nick has had a lovely afternoon with his friends. Managed another set of physio stretches followed by an ice pack (1.20 pm), although I found that I had to supervise the stretches as he had a tendency to rush them. And another walk (4 pm) covering 0.6 km followed by an ice-pack.

By the time his friends had left he was very tired and felt a little pain and elected to lie face down with an ice pack on his back. He says his back and buttocks 'just feel really tight' so he's trying some stretches to see if they help.

Stretches helped a little but he also wanted some paracetamol (2 x 500 mg) and also tried going for a brief walk (0.4 km). Says it's not really pain as such, but a sort of strong pins and needles type sensation in his buttocks and leg. Applied more ice spray after the walk and will see how it goes.

8 pm. Pain sensation has gone and he is feeling happier about it all. Lying down reading.

11.30 pm. Well, I'm off to bed. Nick catching up with the football on TV and looking much happier. Not reporting any pain so I'm hopefully that he manages a decent night's sleep.

Overall, an interesting day. I hadn't appreciated how tiring it would be for him to have friends over, but he was so happy to see them I think it was worthwhile.

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